Inside Saudi Arabia’s jobs market as optimism hits record high for 2022

Hays Saudi Arabia Salary Guide 2022 reveals most in-demand jobs in the Gulf kingdom

According to Hays, candidates most in-demand in Saudi Arabia include those with industry qualifications.


Optimism is at an all-time high in Saudi Arabia with 79 percent of employers feeling positive about the outlook for business this year and the majority planning to increase headcount in the next 12 months.

That’s according to the Hays Saudi Arabia Salary Guide 2022, released by the recruiting experts.
Findings from the report show a record 80 percent of employers intend to increase their workforce numbers in 2022, up on 43 percent who did so in 2021 and 29 percent in 2020.
“Two years on from the pandemic, the job market in Saudi Arabia has certainly bounced back,” said Aaron Fletcher, business manager at Hays Saudi Arabia.

“New and ongoing initiatives surrounding Vision 2030 and the PIF mega projects are driving growing opportunities in the job market, as well as multiple start-ups and multinational corporations establishing headquarters in region.

“As an emerging economy, many companies are entering the market now to secure their place and establish a market share ahead of the anticipated boom. As a result, we are seeing opportunities pick up across all sectors,” added Fletcher.

According to Hays, candidates most in-demand in Saudi Arabia include those with industry qualifications, years of like-for-like experience in both local and international markets, and strong commercial skills for making informed business decisions.
Creating jobs for Saudi nationals is a core component of the kingdom’s Vision 2030.


“As such, we have seen demand to be highest for senior-level professionals, who are equipped with the relevant years of experience and who have the leadership capabilities to drive commercial success and deliver projects on budget and to time,” said Fletcher.

Job roles most in-demand include business development directors, digital transformation specialists, design and pre construction professionals, senior legal execs and talent acquisition specialists.

He added: “Competition amongst employers for the most highly skilled professionals is fierce and salary, of course, is a big factor when looking to attract the top talent.

“That being said, flexible working options, career development opportunities and efficient onboarding processes all have significant impacts on talent attraction and must be considered by employers.”

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